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Baffler186 |
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Baffler186 World Chat Champion
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
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Robby |
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Robby Dirty Old Man
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stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel Bovine Proctologist
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Bhud |
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Bhud World Chat Champion
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Shaft |
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Shaft World Chat Champion
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Posted: 23:55 - 17 May 2019 Post subject: |
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stinkwheel wrote: | What's a kawasaki GT500?
Presumably you either have a Kawasaki GT550 or a Suzuki GT500? |
According to the Show & Tell post, it's a GT550.
Which leads me to agree with others, don't mess with things until you know they're broken, those motors are bullet proof and it's just about run in at 40K, unless you have more background on why it was laid up.
You've said it turns freely (presumably you've got it on the mainstand and spun the back wheel with it in gear) so if you're happy that it's made a few revolutions, check it's got enough oil in it (that doesn't smell of petrol) fill it with fresh fuel, connect it to a big battery and fire the bugger up.
It's not going to start first time, which will give the oil pressure time to build up, so just keep spinning the thing until it either runs, or flattens the massive, fully charged car battery you've got it connected to.
If the former happens, providing it doesn't sound a bucket of bolts (keeping in mind that era of Kwak motor isn't the quietest) then polish your cases and move on.
If it won't run, then go investigate why. ____________________ Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035 |
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kgm |
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kgm World Chat Champion
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Posted: 00:39 - 18 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Shaft wrote: | stinkwheel wrote: | What's a kawasaki GT500?
Presumably you either have a Kawasaki GT550 or a Suzuki GT500? |
According to the Show & Tell post, it's a GT550.
Which leads me to agree with others, don't mess with things until you know they're broken, those motors are bullet proof and it's just about run in at 40K, unless you have more background on why it was laid up.
You've said it turns freely (presumably you've got it on the mainstand and spun the back wheel with it in gear) so if you're happy that it's made a few revolutions, check it's got enough oil in it (that doesn't smell of petrol) fill it with fresh fuel, connect it to a big battery and fire the bugger up.
It's not going to start first time, which will give the oil pressure time to build up, so just keep spinning the thing until it either runs, or flattens the massive, fully charged car battery you've got it connected to.
If the former happens, providing it doesn't sound a bucket of bolts (keeping in mind that era of Kwak motor isn't the quietest) then polish your cases and move on.
If it won't run, then go investigate why. |
+1, basically. Don't be surprised if they're some little oil leaks though and I'd check the valve clearances and chuck in new oil and filters first though. |
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Polarbear |
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Polarbear Super Spammer
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.Chris. |
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.Chris. World Chat Champion
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Posted: 14:21 - 19 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Presumably you're talking about a GT550?
I understand the temptation but as others have said above, it's probably better to try and get the engine running before deciding whether to strip it down. Ideally, if it runs you'd take the bike for a ride in order to assess the state of the gearbox, and if any issues (like a smoky exhaust) emerge when the engine gets hot. Obviously this is not possible if the rest of the bike is in bits, unless you leave the engine until last.
At the very least make sure you do a compression test, and check the valve clearances before you strip the engine down. You need to be able to rotate the cams in order to check them, which you don't be able to do with the head off. Adjustment of the clearances is by shim under bucket, and requires the camshafts to be removed in order to adjust them, so it makes sense to set them correctly if you're taking the head off for any reason.
If you do decide to strip the engine and split the cases (which you should only do if you're absolutely sure what you're doing), make sure you replace the cam chain and primary drive chain. Due in part to having no effective tensioner, the latter is a known weak spot on these engines - not in terms of the engine blowing up, but they get loose and cause a rather unpleasant rattling sound, especially at idle. Oddly the primary chain is quite a bit cheaper bought from Kawasaki (~£45) than the aftermarket ones I've seen (~£120). The same goes for the cam chain. I don't know if there's a quality difference. ____________________ Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F |
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ZRX61 |
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ZRX61 Victor Meldrew
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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Baffler186 |
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Baffler186 World Chat Champion
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Baffler186 |
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Baffler186 World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Posted: 09:04 - 21 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Engines last far longer than suspension components, bushes, bearings, linkages, brake parts, tyres, seats, grips, peg rubbers... I could go on forever.
Chassis first, then engine. ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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Baffler186 |
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Baffler186 World Chat Champion
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bikenut |
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bikenut World Chat Champion
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redeem ouzzer |
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redeem ouzzer World Chat Champion
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Teflon-Mike |
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Teflon-Mike tl;dr
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Posted: 11:48 - 22 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Didn't the GT550 have air-shocks on the back, with a notoriety for deflating? Or was that just the 750?
ISTR that it was aggravated by the Schrodinger valve and folk pumping them up to tyre pressure and more, like 30psi, when they were only supposed to take maybe 3 or 6psi...
I also STR that as a favoured dispatch-hack, there was an infamous bodge to the shocks that involved a push bike inner tube and or repair kit...
Shaft crown-wheels, I also seem to recall were something of a pain, especially on high-mile London dispatchers, where up-down the box riding the whole time, didn't so much see the pinion's prematurely wear, but the shaft bearings and knuckle joints, which if not tackled properly, 'then' would knock out the pinion.
Ergo... on a GT550... I would suspect whatever the mileage, and 40K would seem suspiciously low for that model, personally, I would be a LOT more concerned about 'other-stuff' than the motor, which as mentioned tended to be pretty bullet-proof. Given the age and duration of deraliction, I would have some concern over anything rubber, and be watching for oil-leaks every-where... but, unless it was leaking like an incontinent old dog, or making more smoke than an 80 a day inmate in the care home; I would be inclined to leave the motor as much alone as I could, for the time being. ____________________ My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?' |
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stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel Bovine Proctologist
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Bhud |
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Bhud World Chat Champion
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bikenut |
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bikenut World Chat Champion
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 4 years, 336 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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